Never is a Promise
by MercuryHatter
Summary: Bella never became a vampire. On her deathbed, Edward holds her hand. Oneshot. E/B.


Disclaimer: I own nothing, merely borrowing with the intent to return once the story ends.

Summary: Bella never became a vampire. On her deathbed, Edward holds her hand.

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"You look beautiful"

She directed her gaze to the owner of the voice, currently standing in the doorway of her room.

"Are you going to come in and hold my hand or are you just going to sweet talk me all day?" she teased.

Edward crossed the room in one swift motion as he found himself at his wife's side.

"You don't look a day over seventeen, love" he whispered.

Bella smiled at the vampire as he took her hands in his and kissed it lightly.

"You've been saying that for 50 years" she whispered back.

Edward paused and looked at her as if transfixed by her now aged features.

"Only because it's the truth" he replied, as he brushed a few locks of her hair from her face.

Bella leaned into his touch as she closed her eyes, pondering on the years that seemed to have gone by too quickly. It was as if yesterday when he had saved her from the incoming truck that could've easily crushed her to death. She could still remember vividly the events that took place from the moment she had found out he was a vampire to the moment they got married. Fifty years later, after giving in to Edward's desire to keep her human, not once did he leave her side for long periods of time.

It had not been easy, for a while it had. Once she had reached her mid-twenties, people had been already scandalized by the nature of their relationship. By mid thirties, the gossip only grew worse. They moved quite a lot since it would be suspicious that she was the only one aging. By mid forties, she had insisted that Edward should pretend to be her son, only to avoid the accusing stares of neighbors but Edward would not have any of it. He would walk with her down the street, kiss her, hold her hand without any hint of shame, as if they were still of the same age. By mid-fifties, she had grown to accept the growing age gap between them, resigning herself to acceptance of the eventual separation. By the time she had hit her sixties, she had no regrets. Until now that she was lying on her death bed, she couldn't complain because Edward had ensured to let her live a full life without any regrets.

Tears suddenly leaked from her eyes, sending Edward into a momentary panic.

"Does it hurt anywhere?" he asked with worry.

She shook her head no as she let herself cry some more.

"What's the matter, love?"

"I'm so old" she whined, unbecoming of her age.

He chuckled at her and caressed her face.

"At least you're not more than a hundred" he whispered.

"Would it have been so bad if I was?" she asked.

They had had this conversation a million times. It had stopped around her fifties when she figured there was no point since changing his mind would already be too late.

"Did I not make you happy?" he asked, suddenly worried of his shortcomings.

Bella smiled at her husband.

"You made me the happiest girl in the world"

He kissed her then, finally succumbing to the urge he felt ever since he walked into the room.

"I'm sorry for not making your wish come true" he said apologetically.

He didn't need to say out loud what he had meant. He had chosen to let her stay human. He had disregarded her wish to become a vampire like him.

"I understand, Edward. I understand completely. I just hate the idea of parting with you" she whispered as she felt a new batch of tears roll down.

He wiped the fresh tears on her cheek as he kissed her again.

"As much as I would've loved to spend all eternity being with you, I couldn't subject you to the guilt you were sure to feel once you've turned me. Everyday for the past years, you saw to it to make me feel loved and that's enough for me. Ever since the day we've become husband and wife and even before that, you've loved me unequivocally. You continue to love me even as I lay here on my bed, awaiting death. And I know even when I'm gone; you'd still love me, even if I am reduced to nothing but a memory. But despite the sadness I feel at the thought of leaving you, I can honestly say that the time we had loving each other, although limited, is more than enough to make me content"

"I love you" were the only words that managed to escape the usually articulate vampire.

He gently laid down beside her, taking her in his arms one last time as she sobbed uncontrollably on his chest. He felt her sobs subside moments later accompanied by her slowed breathing. She had fallen asleep, he was sure. He didn't need to check. After years of holding her as she slept, he knew without a doubt. He continued to hold her through out the night.

The sun rose once again that morning, a morning that Bella would never see. And even as she lay motionless without a pulse, Edward held her lovingly, the way he had for all her years as his wife.

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AN: life doesn't always turn out the way you planned but sometimes, the alternative is almost as good, even better.


End file.
